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Perimeter Institute Public Lecture Series

Perimeter Institute brings great thinkers from around the world to Canada to share their ideas on a wide variety of interesting and topical subjects. These lectures and debates are aimed at non-specialists. No mathematical or scientific knowledge is necessary or assumed. Each event is explicitly tailored for the general public and everyone is welcome to attend.

Prepare to be amazed. Nima Arkani-Hamed is one of the world's most innovative scientists, with an infectious enthusiasm for decoding the mysteries of the universe. Renowned for his dynamic and accessible speaking style, Arkani-Hamed is among the most sought-after experts on topics including dark matter, extra dimensions, particle colliders, and the interconnectedness of them all. He was featured prominently in the critically acclaimed 2013 documentary Particle Fever, chronicling the search at the LHC for the Higgs boson.

Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance.” Entanglement is a counterintuitive feature of quantum theory by which two particles are deeply correlated even when separated by vast distances, such that a measurement of one particle instantaneously determines the state of another. Remarkably, quantum entanglement can also happen en masse, determining the macroscopic properties of many electrons in certain crystals.

The concept of supersymmetry, though never observed in nature, has driven a great deal of research in theoretical physics over the past several decades. Much has been learned through this research, but many unresolved questions remain. This presentation will describe how these questions can lead one down a surprising path: toward the dodecaphony of Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg.

Mathematics has proven to be "unreasonably effective" in understanding nature. The fundamental laws of physics can be captured in beautiful formulae. In this lecture I want to argue for the reverse effect: Nature is an important source of inspiration for mathematics, even of the purest kind.